Telemedicine to go??

The MRTC project staff have been hard at work designing a mobile telemedicine cart. The concept began with recommendations of participating physicians and site coordinators.

Dr. SMITH (Simple Mobile Integrated Telemedicine Hardware) has several features that make its design unique in the field of telemedicine. The most notable feature of Dr. SMITH is its articulating arm. This arm is used to support the main camera and allows the camera to provide either a "head on" or an "over the shoulder" view. The articulating arm also allows the camera to be positioned over a 14" x 17" pull out X-ray view box, another unique feature. While other carts have been designed to provide an 8 1/2" x 11" view of an X-ray, Dr. SMITH provides specialists with the capability of viewing an entire chest X-ray.

Design with mobility in mind, Dr. SMITH can be rolled from the exam room to the emergency room to the conference room with little effort. By connecting two communication lines and one power source, Dr. SMITH can be quickly utilized for teleconsultations, emergency consultations, continuing medical education and administration. Dr. SMITH became a reality with the help of Norstan Communications, who provided specifications and interactive video equipment; Snap-On Tools in Algona, who fabricated the carts; AVI Systems, who provided audio/visual equipment and engineering support; Creative Electric, who aided with electrical specification and installation; and Ames Laboratories, who assisted with design and fabrication of the articulating arm.